Pallet sizes, loads and forklift entry

Start with the footprint

Common purchasing descriptions include UK-size 1200 × 1000 mm pallets and Euro-size 1200 × 800 mm pallets. State the dimensions explicitly; names alone can hide construction differences. Include the cargo footprint and whether any part of it overhangs. Confirm the receiving customer’s allowed pallet format before designing your load around it.

Weight is only the beginning

Tell the supplier the loaded weight, how that weight is distributed and whether the load has feet or other concentrated contact points. Describe whether the pallet will sit on a floor, move on forks or span rack beams. Those are different support conditions. A load rating is meaningful only in the conditions for which it was established; never infer capacity from size or an HT mark.

Check the equipment at both ends

Ask about forklift and pallet-truck access, tine spacing, entry height, conveyors and automated handling. A two-way pallet may suit a planned workflow but restrict approach direction elsewhere. A nominally four-way design may have equipment-specific limits. Send drawings or equipment requirements if handling compatibility is critical.

Euro size is not the same as EPAL

A 1200 × 800 mm footprint does not itself establish an EPAL-licensed pallet. If your consignee requires a particular exchange system or licensed design, say so explicitly. Confirm the exact product and its acceptance before ordering. The same principle applies to chemical pallet designs: request the required design, not simply a pallet that looks similar.

Static, dynamic and racking descriptions

These labels refer to different conditions of use. A rating is meaningful only with its design, support arrangement and loading assumptions. Never transfer a figure from an unrelated product simply because both pallets measure 1200 × 1000 mm. Obtain confirmation for the exact offered design and your intended use.

For unusual loads or storage, give a competent specialist the support geometry, cargo contact areas and handling conditions. The ISPM 15 mark supplies none of that structural information.

Length, width and entry direction

Write dimensions in millimetres and label them on a drawing. Reversing 1200 × 1000 to 1000 × 1200 describes the same rectangle geometrically, but can confuse which members run along which side and where equipment enters. Show orientation explicitly.

The size library on this site includes planning examples and footprint areas. Those are dimensional information, not capacity declarations or promises that a particular construction is available.